Former Indian hockey captain and Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh has been appointed as the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
The Congress announced the change on Friday, with Pargat Singh taking charge with immediate effect. The leadership change comes months ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections and follows Warring’s resignation from the post.
The party, in its announcement, thanked Warring for his contribution as state Congress president and said the existing working presidents and election-related committee heads would continue in their respective roles.
Pargat Singh’s appointment brings a former Olympian with a long political and administrative career to the top organisational position in the Punjab Congress. He has represented Jalandhar Cantonment as an MLA since 2012 and has also served as Punjab’s sports and education minister.
Singh was part of India’s hockey teams at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics and captained the side at the Barcelona and Atlanta Games. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1989 and the Padma Shri in 1998.
The Congress now faces the task of preparing its Punjab unit for the 2027 Assembly polls while managing differences among senior leaders. Pargat Singh has previously held organisational responsibilities within the state unit and is now expected to work with leaders from different factions.
Warring congratulated his successor after the announcement and wished him success in his new role.
Warring Speaks About Sachin Pilot After Resignation
Warring had stepped down as Punjab Congress president after heading the state unit since April 2022. He met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi before formally submitting his resignation.
After his resignation, Warring suggested that Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot may have played a role in the leadership change. However, he also acknowledged that he did not have concrete evidence to support the claim.
Speaking about Pilot, Warring said he felt the Congress general secretary may have concluded that it was time to remove him from the post. He added that he had already conveyed his concerns to the party leadership.
The change follows a period of internal differences within the Punjab Congress. Pilot had recently taken over as the party’s Punjab affairs in-charge and held discussions with senior leaders and office-bearers before the change at the top of the state unit.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, Pargat Singh will now lead the Congress organisation through its preparations for the polls and its efforts to coordinate the party’s state leadership.
